Sometimes, a feeling is all somebody needs.
Whether it’s bitter rage, pure ecstasy, or a mixed bag that’s tough to define, an emotional outburst is what can sometimes get the job done for a collection of humans. Naturally, this applies to sports—that is, until robots wipe us entirely off the face of the Earth.
April 27: Final
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For now, however, Karl-Anthony Towns‘s Sunday matinee performance in the Motor City is the latest example of an individual feeling it as purely as possible.
Down four points late in the game, KAT initiated an iso situation down the right side of the lane. Thanks to the Pistons’ third quarter dominance—when they outscored the New York Knicks 28-14—the Little Caesars’ Arena was rocking.
Few gave the Knicks a tremendous chance to win the game. Yet, Towns, a man whose personality is often subtle and unassuming, exploded through clutch buckets and celebratory roaring.
First, his right-lane iso move resulted in the prettiest field goal of the game, cutting Detroit’s lead to two points with just 1:29 remaining in regulation.
Then, after a failed Pistons’ possession, Towns buried a three that put his team up one point with just 47 seconds remaining. (And no, it did not come via the catch-and-shoot variety.)
Towns’s emotions were apparent the moment the three-ball went through, but his emotional base had to be supercharged as soon as crunch time commenced. For a team whose fans consistently criticize Tom Thibodeau and Jalen Brunson for falling into bad late-game habits, New York’s big man took matters into his own monster hands.
Instead of hanging around the arc and waiting, he moved. Instead of providing space for another Bruncon iso scenario, he put the ball on the floor and went with a step-back dagger that few players (not just big men) can replicate.
Towns, indeed, leveled up in a beast-mode-type fashion in Game 4, finishing with 27 points on 10 of 23 from the floor and 5 of 7 from downtown. More importantly, his clutch buckets led the Knicks to a thrilling 94-93 victory that puts them up 3-1 in the first-round series of the NBA playoffs.
Brunson battles through injury again
Not only were Knicks fans treated to KAT’s positive late-game emotions, but they also rode the Jalen Brunson roller-coaster … yet again.
Brunson left the game in the third quarter with what looked like a disastrous injury. Though his already injured ankle didn’t appear to twist, it looked like he was in a lot of pain, and he could not immediately stand (going down to the ground after attempting the first time).
Yet, as he’s done time and again, Brunson returned to the game and played hero in the fourth quarter.
Brunson finished with a team-high 32 points and 11 assists while doing just enough in the final frame to inch the Knicks back into the lead. Despite enjoying a double-digit lead in the first half, Detroit poured it on in the third quarter.
It wasn’t until Brunson’s return that New York found solid footing again.
Controversial finish
With time winding down, Tim Hardaway Jr. had a chance to win the game. Initially open for a corner three, Josh Hart closed out as quickly as he could without fouling.
Or, did he foul him?
The pool report has since admitted the officials did miss the call.
In today’s NBA, it’s definitely a foul. The problem with “today’s NBA” is that, on this very day, Sunday, April 27, 2025, it’s tough to call that foul based on how physical the game was from start to finish.
In any event, the New York Knicks escaped Detroit with a 3-1 series lead, looking to close it out in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden. Tip-off on Tuesday night is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
